Heat exchanqeb



" J. P. RATHBUN No 5, 1929. HEAT EXCHANGER y Re. 17,480

WITNESSES: INVENTOR L? J-P. Ruhbunv BY Cb -qa M ATTORNEY seaman@ s, i929 UNITED [s1- Ares PATE-NT OFI-fics :ons r. nunon, or leonie, ranstrlvanra; Assxeuon 'ro wns'rmenousn mc'rnrc a xmracrrvamc oonrm, a coarona'rrou or rammmvanunaar :azonlineuur.4

origini no. incensi, ama April e, im, semi no. atan?, nica' october as, im. appunti :or

= reime-ana Apu-1s, ma emu lo. mass. f

`My invention, relates'to tubular heat ex- Vsary from time 'to time to remove the tube v bundle for inspection, cleaning, re airs, or lo the like, and for these purposes, it is esirable that the tube bundle be removable as a unit.V

Heretofore, the removal of the tube bundle from heat exchangers of this class has been vattended with considerable inconvenience,

u artcularly with condenser type heaters, due argely to the arrangement 'of the airbailles. These bales are employed for the pur se of providing a separate cooling zone t rough which air and other uncondensed media may 2o Pass mova connection. Y

Such baliles *are commonly secured to the shell of the exchanger, above the air removal connection, and extend into the nest of tubes g5 so as to com l gaseous media to Bass through the nest an around the end oft e baie, and thus, to ensure maximum heat transfer and to prevent gaseous media from by-passin around some of the tubes and along 4a, wall o .50 the shell to the removal connection. Since these bailies extend into the nest between the tube sheets and the tube supports, the tube bundle cannot be removed as a unit unless some provision is made :forA taking the baliles out of the way, or for removn them with the baies with the tube undle is further complicated by the possibility of havin a loose joint between the shell and the ba e, which h would permit the by-passing of gaseous `media from the inlet of the shell directly to the air removal connection, thus short cir- `cuiting; some ofthe tubes.

, Furthermore, in excha rs of the movable header type, it is desira le to' have .means which will relieve the tubes of the bendin 'stresses due to the weight 4of the bundle` an at the same time will not interferewith the ex anson and contraction of the tubes.

5 ore particularly, therefore, an object ofrevious to removal through the air re-l p Il) vertical type heat exchanger with the tubes Y tube bundle. Thev roblem o removing the my invention is to provide a movable header, condenser t pe heater with -a tube bundle which ma K and in w 'ch adequate provision shall be made for removing the air baies with the`v tubes and for reventi'ng by-passing of gaseous media tot e air removal connection and for relieving thel tubesofunnecessary stresses during operation. I l

Apparatus embodying the features of my invention `is shown in the accompanying readily withdrawn as a unit, l

drawings. forming a part 'of this specification, f

wherein y Fig. 1 is alongitudinal section of a tubular heat exchanger with the tubes removed;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section along the gne I-II of the heat exchanger shown in i.1; 'Y gig. 3 isafragmenta v sectional elevation of therlbwer portion of a4 removed; and,` Fig. 4 is a transverse section along the-line' IV--IV 4of Fig. 3. v

According to my invention, the air baies view showing a are secured to the tube sheets and to the tube y supporta-and means arefprovided for main taining .a hydrostatic seal between the baies and the shell of the exchanger, so as to prevent by-passing of gaseous media to the air removal connection. The hydrostatic seal is automatically formed and thus, it is unnecesto loosen any b'olts or other connections 8"? be ore removing the bales with the tube bundle.

I also rovide stays ofsuicient rigidity to prevent exure of the tubes dueto the weight of the tube bundle, and the stays which are secured to the'movable header are provided with extensible portions which do not inte fere with .their rigidity.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of m invention, in Figs. 1 and 2,1 show a mu ti-pass, condenser type heaterindicated generally at 10, and comprising a shell l11, havingan inlet for gaseous media at12, an outlet for condensate at 13,

and an air and non-condensable gas outletA at V14. lExtending lonigudinally within the shellIl is a nest of tu 18, the latter being provided with a fixed tube sheet 17 which is disposed adjacent the inlet and discharge water box 18, and a movable tube sheet 19 for the other end of the nest. -A'V return header'21 is secured to the movable tube sheet 19 in any approved manner, and a cover 22 is provided for closing this end of the shell. I may also arrange a suitable tube'support 23 intermediate the tube sheets for preventing the tubes from sagging, and it will be understood that while I have shown onlyone tube su port, that more than one may be.

provide as conditions may require.

I also rovide means for enclosing some of. the tu .s 1n a separate cooling chamber -..for cooling air and other non-condensable, 4or uncondensed gases previous to their removal through the air removal connection 14. The portion of this chamber which extends between the tube support 23 and the iixed tube of the horizontal baie 26, andadjacent its `lili upper edge, the inclined baille 29 is provided with a suitable number of ports 31, for passing gaseous media therethrough. The ports 31 are thus disposed, lin an oiset relation with respect tothe air outlet 14, for the purpose of preventing condensate from falling directly through these orts and into the outlet connection 14. Li ewise, it will be observed that the inclined baiile 29 is so disposed as to carry condensate falling from the tubes in the cooling chamber to the lower portion of the shell, the lowermost portion of the inclined balile 29 being spaced fiiiom the vertical bale' 27 so'as to provide a passage for such condensate, directly to the condensate outlet 13.

The baies 26, 2 7 and 29 are secured to the 'tube support 23 and to the tube sheet 17 by Y means of suitable clips, or the like, 32 so -'that they may be removable with the tube bundle. In order to prevent gaseous media from by-passing around the outer end of the horizontal balile 26, I bend the outer portion of this baille slightly downwardly and place an angle iron 33=gllalong the side of the shell', below the .outer inclined portion of the horizontal baille 26 and spaced slightly therefrom,

so as to permitl condensate which asses along this side of the shell to form a liquid sealat 34, between' 'the horizontal baile and the shell. [The inclined baffle 29 also hasv its lowermost edge bent downwardly so that it may form a similar sealat 35, with-the lon 'tudinally disposed angle, or the like, 36. us, it will be seen that these liquid seals 34 and 35, to`- gether with the inclined baiilep29, the ports therein andthe side of the shell define -a pas- 'sage from the cooling chamber to the outf let 14.

In order to prevent liquid media, such as condensate, which `may pass through the liquid seal 34, from entering the air outlet 14,

a longitudinally disposed angle 36 is secured to .the shell above this outlet connection. This angle 36 preferably extends for a distance sufficient to cause a liquid iiowing down l so the sides of the shell to passv around the ends of the angle and thus to avoid .the outlet 14. Asuitable notch not shown) may be provided lin the mova le tube plate 19 to allow the latter to be withdrawn past the angle battle 36.

That portion of the cooling chamber, which extends between the movable tube sheet '19 and the tube support 23, is formed by horizontal and vertical bale members 26 and 27', respectively, and by an inclined baille member (not s own), which are similar in allrespects to thosejust described, with the exception that provision is made for making i these baliie members-extensible, so that they may lengthen and shorten in response to expansions and contractions of the tube nest. These means comprise brackets 37 which are secured to the movable tube sheet 19 and carry suitable bolts, or rivets 38 which extend through slots 39 in the respective baile members, and thus permit these members to change their length and revent defiection.

In order toprovide urther support y,for the tubes, and to maintain the tube 'support 23 in proper positionv with respect to the tube sheets, I employ a suitable number of rigid stay members 40. between'the tube support 23 and thel rigid tube sheet 17 and a like number of extensible stay members 41 between the movable tubesheet19 and the tube support 23. The extensible stay members are i similar to the extensible bale members,

brackets 37. being securedto the tube sheetl 19 and bolts, or the like, 42 carried by the extensible members 41, extend through slots 43 inthe brackets 37 and thus permit these members to lengthen and shorten, and at the same time, a fairly rigid'structure is provided for reventin'g undue sagging and consequent ben ing stresses in the tubes.

In order to rvide for readily inserting and removing the tube bundle from the shell, I arrange longitudinally extending angles 44 along the inner sides of the shell so as to provide ways upon which the tube support 23 and the movable tube sheet 19 may ride. Under some conditions of service, these ways are apt to become suiliciently corroded to deprive the tubebundle of the desired freedom of movement. 4To avoid this Y densable er it isiierely necessary condition, I dispose suitable rollers 46 on the tube sheet 19 and on the tube 'sup ort- 2E!v to remove the tube bundle, itis merely necessary to remove'the inletfwater'box 18 and yn, to. disconnect the rigid tube sheet 17` from the shell. This being done, the bundle may be slidden along the ways 44 and removed from the shell as a. unit, the -various bales 26, 27and 29, together with the sta mem-, m bers and 41 being removed with t e bundle. When the bundle 'is a ain inserted in the shell, it will be observedt at it is unnecesf sar to .make any threaded connections, or"

adjustments, and that the liquid seals are automatically formed as soon as operation of the heater is resumed.

In Figs. 3 and 4, I show a vertical type heater 50, embodying a modified form :of my invention. In avertical type heaterLit is, of course, unnecessary to provideways such as are provided by the .angle irons 44` 'inblgi 1 and 2 forsupportin the movable eet 19 and the interme ate tlbe support 23. In this form of my invention, I 'dispense withthe li uid seals and provide an air and non-,con ensable gas outlet 51,

` which extends `-through the inlet and discharge water box 52. The coolin chamber is formed by ballles 26", 27" an 29" respectively, which are similar to the bales 26,

V2'( and 28, described with reference to Figs.

1 andV 2,v with the exception that no'ports are provided inthese baiiles and that the adjacent end portions of the 29 are spaced apart so 'as to provide the passa for gaseous media.

In is latter form of my invention, it will be understood. thatA any tube support (plates, which may be used, will be provide with suitable ports so as to afford communication throughout the len h of the cooling-cham- `ber formed bythe ailles 26", 27 and 29"',- respectively,vso that-air .and other non-cones may be removed from all portions of t e shell through the connection 51. The shell is provided with any suitable 'condensate outlet 53 and' with an inlet for gaseous media 54. In allother respects, the

y 'heat exchanger shown in Fi 3; and 4 is similar to that described wit v reference to @Fi'gml and 2. n

remove-the tube bundle from the heatto loosen the rigid tu sheet 56 from the shell. .The air outlui. let 51 being formed in the water box 52, it

bales 27" and is assured that there can be no leak' which would rmit by-passing of` gaseous media from within-the shellV to' this outlet. Inthis form of my invention, as well as in that shown in Figs.l 1 and 2, the bailles need not -be disconnected'from the tube plates.

It will readily be seen, therefore, that I have provided a` tubular heat exchanger which is so constructed .as to permit the. tube bundle to be withdrawn or inserted.

withA a minimum 'of eiort and inconvenience.

chamber are automatically formed and provide asimple, inexpensive. and yet positive means for preventin` bypassingof gaseous media. By means o my invention, it is possible to remove, or'to insert the tube bundle without either breaking, or making any threaded or otherwise diicult connections within the shell.

While I have show-n my invention in two forms, it will be obvious to thosejskilled in the art that it is not so limited,/but is susceptible of various other changes and modi- The li uid'seals" around the air- *and non-condensa le gas outlet and cooling 2. The combinationwith aheat exchanger l 4. The combination with a heat exchanger comglrising a shell having an inlet, and a tube y comprising a shell having an inlet, a nest of tubes within the shell, a rigid tube sheet and a movable tube sheet for the nest of tubes,

and a tube support between said tube sheets,

of bales secured to said tube sheets and to" thel tube''support, and means providing a liquid seal between the bullies andthe shel.

y 5. .A device according to claim 4, and means providing an extensible connection between the movable `tube sheetand the baiile associated therewith. 'A

6. The combinationwith a'heat exchanger com rising a shell having an inlet, and a tube bun le within the shell, of a baffle within said vide a cooling chamber, means providing a liquid seal between said transversely extending baiiie and said shell, means providing an air and non-condensable gas removal connection below said cooling chamber,.an inclined baffle member Vadjacent said air 'and non-condensable gas removal connection, said inclined baille member being arranged to form one wall of said cooling chamber and having ports therein'in oset relation with said Vfrom an' and non-condensable gas removal connec-` tion, and means providing a liquid seal lietween said inclined baiemember and said shell.`

8. The combination with a heat exchanger comprising a shell having an inlet and an airl and non-condensable gas outlet and an outlet for condensate,` and a nest of tubes within into said nest above `'said air and non-condensable gas outlet, a bailie extending substantially vertically into. said nest above said condensate outlet and joined to ,said -horizontally extendin baiiie, an inclined bale non-condensable gas outlet and having the lower end thereof spaced from said vertically extending bale to providea passage to said condensate outlet, and

means providing liquid seals between said Vhorizontally extending baille and said shell and between said inclined 'bale and'said shell, Vsaid vertically extending bale and sa'idinclinedballie having Orts therein for vthe passage of gaseous me ia.

9. device accordin to claim 8, and means on said shell indepen ent of said aforemen-v tioned baiiles for preventin `liquid media assing ,from said s'hel through said air an non-condensable gas outlet.

10. A device according to claim 8 A and means for permitting the removal of bales and said tube from said shell as a unit.

11. The combination with a heat exchanger comprising a shell having an inlet and a condensate outlet and an air and non-condensable' gas outlet, and a nest of tubes within the shell,

of means for enclosing a portion of said tube nest into a separate compartment, and means including liquid seals for defining a passage from said compartment to said a1r and noncondensable gas outlet.

12. The combination with a heat excha r comprising a shell structure having an in et for gaseous media and an outlet for condensate and a tube bundle within the shell f structure, of a baiiie structure embodied in the tube bundle, means for supporting the tubei bundleand baie structure within the .shell structure and providing for the removal thereof from-the shell structure, and means including a portion of the baille structure for` forming a liquid seal between the baille structure and the shell structure when, the

tube bundle and bale structure are disposed in the shell structure.

13. The combination with aheat exchan er comprising a shell structure having an in `et for gaseous media and separate outlets for condensed media and non-condensed media ture withinthe shell structure andv roviding for the removal thereof from the s ell structure, and means including a portion of the baie structure .for forming a liquid seal between the baille structure and the shellstructure so as to maintain the non-condensed mef .as Y

dia outlet in sole communication with the lcoolin chamber. the shell, of a battle extending horizontally comprising a shell structure having an inlet.

14. hecombination with a heat 'exchanger for gaseous media and separate outlets .for

condensed and non-condensed media and a tion communicating withthe condensable me` da outlet and a coolin portion communlcating with the non-con en sable media outlet,

means for supportingYthe/tube bundle and baille structure within the shell structure and providing for the removal thereof from'the shell structure tion of the structure for forminglquid sealin vmeans between thecondensin portion o the tube bundle and the non-con ensed media outlet provided in the shell structure.

for gaseous media and separate outlets for condensed media and non-condensed media and a tube bundle disposed within the shell 11o and means including a.por.

15. The combination with a heat exchan r comprising a shell structure having an in et' structure, of a baille structure embodied in the tube bundle and carried thereby, said baille structure dividing the tube bundle into a condensing portion communicatingwith the condensed media outlet andina cooling portion communicating withthe non-condensed media outlet'supports :for` the tube bundleand j the -baiilestru'cture,said supports engaging the inner wall of the shell structure and pro?" viding for-'the removal of the tube bundle I and the bame structure from the shell structure, and means carried by the shell structure and cooperatin with the bnle structure to provide ali ui seal between the condensing rtion of t e tube bundle and the non-conensable meda. outlet.

Intestmony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 16th day of A ril, 1929.

. JOHN lP. RAT UN.

:saA 

